College of Medicine Student Complaint Procedure

Within the College of Medicine (COM) Student Handbook, a range of College specific policies and procedures are listed. COM students may review their Student Handbook for information on issues ranging from “A” (absence policies) through “V” (Visiting Medical Student Policy). COM specific complaint procedures exist for key areas and include:

●Education (Duty) Hours

●Grade Grievance Policy

●Honor Code

●Learning Environment and Medical Student Mistreatment Policy

●Professionalism

●Standards of Conduct

●Student Input/Feedback About the Curriculum

COM students are encouraged to contact their Office of Student Affairs for assistance in finding, understanding, and following COM policies and procedures concerning student complaints.

Some COM student complaints may pertain to university-wide services such as student programs, counseling and psychological services (CAPS), student health, educational technology, weillness center, enrollment management, library services, student accounting, etc. Issues concerning university-wide services are to be directed to the Associate Provost for Educational Affairs and Student Life. COM students with complaints regarding university-wide services are welcome to contact their Office of Student Affairs for support and guidance in finding, understanding, and following the specific procedure concerning university-wide complaints

The following procedure applies to student complaints related to the College of Medicine for which there is not an existing policy.

1. A complaint will be treated with appropriate confidentiality and in a timely manner.

2. A complainant has the right to withdraw the complaint in writing at any point in the process.

3. A complainant may file a written complaint without fear of retaliation. If the complaint is filed without basis or with the intent to harm a member of the MUSC community, disciplinary action may be taken.

4. The procedure will be applied consistently to students across colleges/units, including distance-learning students.

Student Complaint Resolution Process

The College of Medicine complaint resolution includes the following three stages:

· Stage 1: Informal Complaint Resolution

· Stage 2: Formal Complaint Resolution

· Stage 3: Resolution Appeal

Stage 1: Informal Complaint Resolution

1. The student is encouraged to address his/her concerns at the earliest possible time and on an informal basis.

Stage 2: Formal Complaint Resolution

1. The complainant completes the MUSC Complaint Form according to the instructions on the form and submits the form to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs).

2. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs forwards the complaint to the EDAS Council (consisting of Assistant and Associate Deans for Education, Diversity, Admissions, and Student Affairs)..

3. The EDAS Council reviews the complaint and gathers additional information as needed. The Council makes a decision and communicates their recommendation, in writing, to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs communicates the final decision, in writing, to the student.

Stage 3: Appeal

1. If the complainant is dissatisfied with the decision, he/she may appeal the decision to the Dean. The Dean reviews the committee’s decision, gathers additional information as needed, and communicates, in writing, his/her decision to the student. The decision of the Dean is final.

2. If the complaint believes that due process was not followed, he/she has the option of submitting a written appeal to the Provost. In the written appeal, the student must identify how due process was not followed. The complainant must provide the college with a copy of the written appeal to the Provost. The Provost’s finding will be communicated in writing to the student and to the Dean.

Notification of Student Complaint Procedures

1. The College of Medicine Complaint Procedure is well-publicized on the COM website and in The Bulletin.

2. There are additional internal and external offices, organizations, and accrediting bodies to which students may submit a complaint. For additional information, refer to the MUSC Student Complaint Procedure website http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/scc/index.htm or contact the Associate Provost for Educational Affairs.

3. A single complaint can be filed with only one unit/college/service (i.e., a student cannot file the same complaint with the COM and University-services).

4. Before filing a complaint at the state or accrediting agency level, the class="highlightedsearchterm"complainant is generally expected to exhaust all internal complaint avenues.

Documentation

1. The Assistant Dean for Student Affairs will maintain a log of complaints (Appendix B) which will be submitted annually and reviewed with the Educational Advisory Committee.

2. Documentation related to the complaint is maintained for 10 years in accordance with South Carolina Retention Schedule.